District 99 student musicians participated in the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) State Solo and Ensemble Contest on March 3, 2018, at Joliet Central Catholic High School.
Students prepare solos and ensembles and play for an expert adjudicator, receiving both a score and a rating, and, formative feedback for improvement. Additionally, students performing solos must play scales from memory, demonstrating technical mastery on their instruments outside of their prepared solo work.
North High Results
More than 70 students from Downers Grove North High School performed Solos and Ensembles that earned a Division I rating of SUPERIOR. A Division I score is categorized as “A Superior Performance – outstanding in nearly every detail.” In addition, 30 students from Downers Grove North High School performed Solos and Ensembles that garnered a Division II rating of Outstanding. A Division II score is categorized as “An excellent performance – only minor defects.”
“Preparing for a Solo and Ensemble contest is a great opportunity for our students to express their individualism as soloists and to develop teamwork skills with small ensembles,” said Brayer Teague, Fine Arts Department Chair at North High. “We’re very proud of all our students who entered the state contest this year. They did a terrific job representing North High with their musicianship.”
Twelve North High student musicians received perfect scores at the State Contest. Jennifer Casey, Amelia Korbitz, Brian Monk, and Katherine Ramsey earned perfect marks from the judges for their solo work. The DGN String Quartet (Aleena Albert, Katherine Lyda, Brady Moore, Jesse Wei), as well as the DGN Low Brass Quartet (Jeremy Blumka, Jennifer Casey, Ryan Knezevich, Brian Perillo – Low Brass Quartet) also received perfect scores.
Two North High events received a “Best in Room Citation” for garnering the highest achievement score in their event room. Percussion soloist Bilal Khurshid and Cello Soloist Brady Moore were each recognized by judges to be the most outstanding performers of the day in their performance venues.
The following North High Music Events received a “Division I—Superior” rating: Aleena Albert – French Horn; Jozie Arenz – Euphonium; Nick Atonson – Violin; Daniel Atwater – Trumpet; Eva Bednard – Violin; Emily Blanchard – Flute; Emily Blanchard – Piccolo; Carissa Blumka – Flute; Jeremy Blumka – Trombone; Lucie Boyd – Viola; Jennifer Casey – Euphonium – Perfect Score; Grace Chalberg – Trumpet; Luc Collo – Alto Saxophone; Ellie Cremer – Violin; Alison Dry – Trombone; Rebecca Edmundson – Violin; Emma Fodor – Clarinet; Jamie Gamonez – Female Voice; Jamie Gamonez – Flute; Marissa Gonzalez – Flute; Jeannie Hansen – Bassoon; Gavin Harker – Trumpet; Rachel Jeske – Oboe; Amelia Korbitz – Violin – Perfect Score; Bilal Khurshid – Snare Drum – Best in Room Citation; Ryan Knezevich – Trombone; Helen Kosowski – Flute; Emma Krause – Flute; Megan Krause – Violin; Hannah Kutchek – Flute; Jack Langan – Male Voice; Katherine Lyda – Violin; Margaret Lyons – Flute; Lucas Marra – French Horn; Kaylee McCarthy – Trombone; Zachary McDermott – French Horn; Parker Jo McGuire – Violin; Ish Mistry – Trombone; Brian Monk – Violin – Perfect Score; Brady Moore – Cello Best in Room Citation; Raegan Novak – Flute; Noah Pardue – Viola; Brian Perillo – Euphonium; Brendan Quealy – Male Voice; Chloe Mason – Oboe; Catherine Ramsey – Harp – Perfect Score; Tressa Rapach – Trumpet; Andrew Swenson – Trumpet; Miles Teague – French Horn; Jesse Wei – Viola; Aleena Albert, Katherine Lyda, Brady Moore, Jesse Wei – String Quartet – Perfect Score; Daniel Atwater, Nya Mason, Ish Mistry, Jonathan Orjala, Rebecca Waden – Brass Quintet; Jeremy Blumka, Jennifer Casey, Ryan Knezevich, Brian Perillo – Low Brass Quartet – Perfect Score; Lucie Boyd, Amelia Korbitz – String Duet; Allison Burke, Luc Collo, Andrew Jackson, Marz Tingzon – Sax Quartet; Jeannie Hansen, Ava Sanchez, Maya Schumpert – Woodwind Trio; Sotis Gouriotis, Amanda Janusz, Katherine Tokash – String Trio; Justin Berghorst, Noah Pardue, Paige Sadler, Julia Szostak – String Quartet
The following North High Music Events received a “Division II—Excellent” rating: Justin Berghorst – Violin; Abigail Bowers – Flute; Michelle Cotton – Bassoon; Kate Crisp – Female Voice; Patrick Doyle – Trumpet; Emily Ennis – Flute; Abbie Folkening – Flute; Mariah Godar – Trumpet; Aaron Heppner – Flute; Emilija Irvin – Bassoon; Arden Jachim – Trumpet; Angelica Kowara – Trombone; Maggie Miller – Violin; Jonathan Orjala – Trumpet; Caroline Pleune – Flute; Matt Rios – Trumpet; Ava Sanchez – Flute; Mia Scott – Violin; Olga Sretenovic – Violin; Sam Stein – Trumpet; Claire Tarvin – Tuba; Julianna Tuohy – Trombone; Rebecca Waden – French Horn; Alexis Morman, Julia Rhodes – Woodwind Duet; Emilija Irvin, Emma Krause, Chloe Mason, Aidan Purcell, Miles Teague – Woodwind Quintet
South High Results
In total, more than 50 students participated in over 35 different events. 30 students performed as soloists, and 26 students formed 7 different ensembles during the course of the day. Students from both the bands and the orchestras from South High School participated in this event.
“Regardless of rating or score, we are proud of every student for choosing to pursue musical growth through this process.” said Fine Arts Department Chairman Glenn Williams. “The individual growth that occurs through studying and performing chamber music is substantial.”
Two events during the course of the day earned a perfect score, 40/40, from the judge in their performance room: Allie Brandt, clarinet; Genevieve DuFresne, alto saxophone.
Listed below are the South High students that earned a Division I rating, described on the judges sheet as “a superior performance – outstanding in nearly every detail.”
Carson Aldrich, trombone solo; Andre Beikircher, violin solo; Allie Brandt, clarinet solo – PERFECT SCORE; Allie Brandt, Danny King, Emma Ansah, Missy Tepe, clarinet ensemble; Jake Burrows, Kelly Jankowski , trumpet duet; Jake Burrows, Matt Burrows, Peter Burrows, Paul Kozak, Adam Rosignal, brass quintet; Matt Burrows, trombone solo; Matt Burrows, Carson Aldrich, trombone duet; George DuFresne, flute solo; Genevieve DuFresne, alto saxophone solo – PERFECT SCORE; Michaela Dukes, violin solo; Sam Guagliardo, euphonium solo; Megan Holley, violin solo;
O’Shay Jackson, bassoon solo; Harry Kamitani, violin solo; Bella Kelly, violin solo; Danny King, clarinet solo; Kyle Kotula, trombone solo; Therese Malinowki, Bella Kelly, string duet; Mary Mulcahey, flute solo; Lauren Mule, violin solo; Lauren Mule, Megan Holley, violin duet; Maddy Pteanc, violin solo; Michaela Rakos, flute solo; Isaac Rutledge, flute solo; Millia Saei, violin solo; Emily Schwab, bassoon solo; Saahil Sorakayla, bassoon solo; Nathan Wiechec, trombone solo;
Listed below are the South High students that earned a Division II rating, described on the judges sheet as “An excellent performance – minor defects.”
Michael Beube, violin solo; Joe Daniele, trombone solo; Rachel Joseph, violin solo; Sana Nasib, viola solo; Hailey Rodden, oboe solo; Domani Sharkey, Ellen Place, Meghan Carroll, string trio; Katherine Wilkinson, violin solo